Our visit to RTU and Aaharam weavers in Theni District, Chennai

Aaharam displaying their new product range

We went to RTU (Reaching the Unreached), one of IM's partner organizations in South India. IM is financing RTU's project in SHG (Self Helf Group) for rural women in different villages. The meeting was to discuss on the "Agreement" and other project related matters.
We also met with Mohanraj who is previously the Production Manager for RTU Industry and after its closure, still  working in the same position for Aaharam weavers.
Aaharam weavers is a separate organization located in RTU's premise after the latter closed down its business unit due to a new law in India few years back applicable to NGOs' having business units. But RTU agreed to provide the weaving hall and the looms on lease for few years to Aaharam weavers.

Preparing some samples for IM

We buy products from them and support them in becoming a member of fair trade. IM has also provided help in product design and development.
With recent changes at IM Fair Trade and challenges faced by Aaharam weavers (in maintaining quality, providing benefits to artisans, fair wage and timeliness), it remains to see how the  relation between IM Fair Trade and Aaharam weavers will develop from this year 2012.

Tsering Youdon
Fair Trade Coordinator

Meeting with BKS Textile in Tiruppur

Weaving loom

Audit

First Aid Centre in the B.K.S Campus

An evacuation plan in the workshop

Ear Plug must for all!

On 24 afternoon, Fair Trade Forum-India had an appointment with General Manager of B.K.S, Mr. Viswalingam in order to discuss on the project "Fair Trade Supply Chain" and asked if we wanted to be a part of the meeting. They have also informed B.K.S about our plans to buy organic fabric and meet with different suppliers. It was too good an opportunity to miss and ignore.

Emergency exit in the workshop

B.K.S is certified with ISO 9001-2000 for quality assu
rance, ISO 14001 for environmental safety assurance, SA 8000 for social compliance, GOTS for organic and FLO-CERT. They are also in the process of becoming a member of the national fair trade organization - FTF-I. Mr. Viswalingam mentioned that the application of the fair trade standards will broaden their areas (business) and so they are willing to focus on fair trade. Their website is www. bkstex.in.

IM and FTF-I Staff 

Weaving unit:  They have their own weaving unit equipped with the latest technologies and efficient management by the
 workers. They have no dyeing unit but planning to introduce if they found any dyers in the fair trade network. They are presently doing dyeing for products and exporters that are non-certified. Staff of FTF-I has agreed to provide them information on dyeing unit in the fair trade network.

Tea outside the weaving hall 

Working conditions: As they have to do social audits, employees are asked to wear face mask, ear plugs and uniform in all the workshops- weaving, tailoring and quality checking. As it is obvious in pictures, they have displayed all the necessary information as part of their social responsibility - the evacuation plan, first-aid centre, tea machine and emergency exit.

Women in the weaving quality section

Quality Department: We have seen more female in the Trimming and quality checking department in all the three different sections - weaving, tailoring and finished products. More number of males are found working on the power-loom machines in the warp and weaving section.
They are also doing coating/lamination on different fabric. We have been using coated canvas for the past few years for shopping bags and now looking for option in organic and fair trade cotton. They asked for a sample of our bag and will see if they can provide us the same in organic or fair trade cotton.

Women in the tailoring quality section

The staff of Fair Trade Forum-India wanted to know the minimum order that can be placed by other fair trade members. Mr. Viswalingam, the GM told all of us that B.K.S can provide any fair trade members with even 100 metre if the fabric is weaved regularly on their loom.


We hope to connect with them in the future and on a regular basis, if we achieve what we were looking for.

Tsering Youdon
Fair Trade Coordinator

Meeting with Lata Enterprise

On 24 January morning, we met with Lata Enterprise based in Bhavna, which is 95km from Tiruppur City. They are involved in weaving and also making products for different exporters based in Tiruppur. They have employed more than 100 women in the weaving section which is located few km from their office and work on export and domestic orders. We could not visit the weaving centre as we have plans to visit other suppliers in the afternoon.

They do not have a website or a blog. Even though they are not a member of any fair trade organizations, they participate in trade fairs organized by the Government. The enterprise is run by a couple who neither speaks English or Hindi. They only speak their native language i.e. Tamil which we did not speak. They do not have any information on fair trade standards and have no plans to become its member.
We bought some samples for our Sweden fair trade office in different colors i.e. black, green, white dyed jute and untreated jute. I have included two pictures.

Tsering Youdon
Far Trade Coordinator

Meeting with Aruna Textile in Tirupur

We reached Coimbatore on 23rd and went to visit Aruna Textile, one of the suppliers of cotton fabric, on the way to our hotel in Tiruppur. Tiruppur is called the "Textile city" and a "Dollar City" also. Big brands such as H&M, Reebok, Diesel, to name a few, import their textiles from Tirrupur.
Mr. Manickandan, who is working as a consultant for "fair trade supply project" under fair forum-India. He helped us in meeting with different suppliers, one of them was Aruna. They don't have any website or blog that I could share with others.
We went to see if Aruna is a member of any fair trade organization and their yarns are "organic" certified. We also came to know the different counts and different fabric they are manufacturing.
Even though they are not a member of any fair trade organization, they wish to switch to "organic cotton" and the certification process will take 3-6 months.
The manager has no information on the fair trade principles. The workers are employed on a contract basis. They promised to send us a sample to our hotel address where we were to stay for another two days, but did not send it.
We may not possibly have any linkage as they are neither a fair trade member nor are their yarns certified. However, it was a different experience to see different fabrics available in bulk quantity and to speak with people working on it.

Tsering Youdon
Fair Trade Coordinator

Planning to meet with suppliers of organic cotton and organic canvas

Till now, we have been making bags in canvas cloth with prints using azo free pigments. Organic cotton is expensive but we want to see if we can purchase in a certain quantity depending upon our orders. We are also looking for jute which is environmental friendly and economical. But the issue is suppliers of organic jute are hard to find. And communication over the phone hardly yield results.
I have contacted some suppliers over the phone, website and e-mail and received no response from them. I wonder why they keep a separate "Inquiry and Contact" on their website and do not respond.
I have been successful in receiving a sample from one of the suppliers  based in Chennai and in constant touch with him via mail and phone. Feels good that the samples will soon reach Sweden and now waiting for the price details. Will see what my counterpart in Sweden has to say about the fabrics.
Will meet with few more suppliers in organic cotton and canvas to know about their price and if they are a community based organizations. Dealing with big manufacturing unit is not our purpose. We, as an organization, support CBOs working for marginalized groups especially women. Hope our trip to Coimbatore and Tiruppur will be successful and we will get to take back some samples with us.

Tsering Youdon

Session on Testing parameters (physical & Chemical) on 13th December 2011

The session on testing parameters proved helpful to me as this was based on the need for different testings done on/for different products. The resource person was an expert faculty from TUV Rheinland India Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of TUV Rheinland Group, Germany- a testing agency.
Of the 20 participants in the room, only few are aware of the testing requirements and doing testing on products meant for export. The resource explained to all of us the need for testing:
- Some testings are mandatory and some are made mandatory by the buyer.
- Testing is done to have a standardized products and minimization of rejection of products.
- There are products containing crude substances that are strictly restricted by the import laws of certain countries.

Testing recommendation:
- Washing
- Dry cleaning
- Fastness
-Fibre content (Physical and Chemical Testing)

Testing Agency available:
- TUV Rheinland Pvt. Ltd.
- SGS
- MTL
- Intertech
-REACH

Information on Azo-free dyes:
- Azo is mostly found in red, oranges and yellows. Azo dyes are also not biodegradable and hence are difficult to remove from our eco-system.
- Due to potential release of aromatic amines, such dyes and pigments are mutagenic, carcinogenic and sometimes allergic.

Supplier of Azo-free dyes:
- Sandoz
- Atul

This is the first time that I ever attended a workshop on Testing parameters and practical approach to each tests. And I found it useful.


Tsering Youdon
Fair Trade Coordinator

Awareness programme for Dehradun handicraft exporters on International standards & need for quality complaince

The workshop was for 2 days- 12 & 13 of December organized by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (sponsored by Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India).
The resource person stressed that the supplier has to think about good quality, price and delivery date as an important factor in maintaining continuous relation with the buyer. The supplier has to think before the buyer and tell them about the products that is selling in the market. The participants were made aware that buyer does not mean the end consumer. Supplier has to make sure their products reach the market and the end consumer likes them.
The supplier has to also take note on the following:
- Communication: Regular interaction is very important in understanding the psychology of the buyer. Supplier has to reach a point where the buyer makes the call or reaches you. At times, communication need not be only about price or product. It is also important to know about your buyer's personal information.
- Transparent: Transparent in discussing risk and potential issues openly in order to have regular order. Price becomes a major issues and it is important to re-negotiate with the buyer on the market fluctuation.
- Be ethical: Supplier has to make sure that their business operation is according to the law and rules of the nation. They have not employed any child labor and also provide good working conditions to the employees.
- The suppliers has to have minimum 4-5 buyers. It is a must to seek feedback from the buyers on price and delivery date.
- The suppliers has to keep in touch with the buyers in between contracts.

Tsering Youdon
Fair Trade Coordinator
Report on workshop conducted on 12th December 2011

Field visit to Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany in November

Apart from fair trade, IM has 19 other partner organizations working towards development of marginalized communities in the field of education, health and IGA. Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany is focused on Literacy programme under Education component. 


Purpose of the visit:

• -        To follow up on the activities implemented during project period 2011.
•      To observe any positive changes in the project activities as a result of the Evaluation (for Project year 2009-2010) done in the beginning of the year 2011.
• -        To meet with ex-students of promotional schools in Guwahati and find out about their future plans.
• -        To know more about the coordination of SHG groups with Bethany Sisters and their role in the implementation of the activities.
• -        To know and understand the strategies in achieving the outcome using RBA (Rights Based Approach) during the project period 2012-2014.
• -        To understand their challenges in using RBA for the achievement of the desired outcome.

Tsering Youdon

Fair Trade Coordinator

PO's network meeting at IM, Rajpur in November

This year, the network meeting between IM's partner organization was not only about sharing each other's experiences and project activities;but on FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act), Income Tax, budget monitoring and RBA (Rights Based Approach).
Besides IM's partner organizations, accountants and management of other organization such as monasteries, local Tibetan administration, private institution and IM's auditors participated in the workshop. Almost 50 participants were present during the workshop on FCRA.
The FCRA new rules and regulations in India will be applicable to all the voluntary agencies/organizations working towards the development of the communities...mainly marginalized groups through Education, Health and IGA programmes. And many feels that the new rules are constricted and stringent. But they have to follow them.
The network meeting is helpful in providing updated information on IM's new strategies and approach in the development programmes. The partner organizations are informed about the new changes in the programme and provided feedback on their reporting from the IM office.
Over the years, I personally feel that we have grown stronger as a team - collectively going through all the projects, compiling of the quantitative and qualitative data and working together on project reports, strategies and organizational report and evaluation. And it was found useful as we all have some information on each projects and are aware of each partner organization's SWOT.


Tsering Youdon
Fair Trade Coordinator

Surprised to find that my last blog input was 2 months back....!

The month of October and November went by so fast. Janusz, our Asia Desk officer at IM Lund came and we had a meeting at Delhi on the future of "IM fair trade". We had a meeting with Jacky from MESH, Miss Moon Sharma from TARA and staff of Fair trade forum India.
MESH and TARA are our suppliers based in Delhi. And IMEX based in Rajpur is a member of the national network of fair trade in India which is growing and spreading its wing.
The meeting turned out well with all three of them.........discussing on the new things and changes happening within the IM Fair trade department, new color trends and products expected from the suppliers, product quality, design and timely order delivery.
Jacky was very satisfied with the discussion and comment that is happening across the table and in person. It gave them a very good idea of the demands of the buyer i.e. IM Fair trade shops.

Tsering Youdon
Fair Trade Coordinator